diff --git a/tests/topotests/bgp_rpki_topo1/r1/rtrd.py b/tests/topotests/bgp_rpki_topo1/r1/rtrd.py
index d34539a8f9..bca58a66ac 100755
--- a/tests/topotests/bgp_rpki_topo1/r1/rtrd.py
+++ b/tests/topotests/bgp_rpki_topo1/r1/rtrd.py
@@ -273,6 +273,9 @@ class RTRConnHandler(socketserver.BaseRequestHandler):
 
     def handle_error(self, buf: bytes):
         dbg(f">Error: {str(buf)}")
+        self.server.shutdown()
+        self.server.stopped = True
+        raise ConnectionError("Received an RPKI error packet from FRR. Exiting")
 
     def handle(self):
         while True:
diff --git a/tests/topotests/bgp_rpki_topo1/test_bgp_rpki_topo1.py b/tests/topotests/bgp_rpki_topo1/test_bgp_rpki_topo1.py
index e6b2c4c4f2..36bc0b7200 100644
--- a/tests/topotests/bgp_rpki_topo1/test_bgp_rpki_topo1.py
+++ b/tests/topotests/bgp_rpki_topo1/test_bgp_rpki_topo1.py
@@ -112,6 +112,11 @@ def test_show_bgp_rpki_prefixes():
     if tgen.routers_have_failure():
         pytest.skip(tgen.errors)
 
+    for rname in ["r1", "r3"]:
+        logger.info("{}: checking if rtrd is running".format(rname))
+        if rtrd_process.poll() is not None:
+            pytest.skip(tgen.errors)
+
     rname = "r2"
 
     step("Check RPKI prefix table")
@@ -149,6 +154,11 @@ def test_show_bgp_rpki_prefixes_no_rpki_cache():
     if tgen.routers_have_failure():
         pytest.skip(tgen.errors)
 
+    for rname in ["r1", "r3"]:
+        logger.info("{}: checking if rtrd is running".format(rname))
+        if rtrd_process.poll() is not None:
+            pytest.skip(tgen.errors)
+
     def _show_rpki_no_connection(rname):
         output = json.loads(
             tgen.gears[rname].vtysh_cmd("show rpki cache-connection json")
@@ -180,6 +190,11 @@ def test_show_bgp_rpki_prefixes_reconnect():
     if tgen.routers_have_failure():
         pytest.skip(tgen.errors)
 
+    for rname in ["r1", "r3"]:
+        logger.info("{}: checking if rtrd is running".format(rname))
+        if rtrd_process.poll() is not None:
+            pytest.skip(tgen.errors)
+
     step("Restore RPKI server configuration")
 
     rname = "r2"
@@ -224,6 +239,11 @@ def test_show_bgp_rpki_route_map():
     if tgen.routers_have_failure():
         pytest.skip(tgen.errors)
 
+    for rname in ["r1", "r3"]:
+        logger.info("{}: checking if rtrd is running".format(rname))
+        if rtrd_process.poll() is not None:
+            pytest.skip(tgen.errors)
+
     step("Apply RPKI valid route-map on neighbor")
 
     rname = "r2"